Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1887-02-24
Nome Of US understood at first, bu. gradual

None Of us understood at first, but gradual
" a light dawns upon u.s.
Il have IT," says Ada in an eager, excited
tone. IT isn't Mary we've got up stairs at all"
1 She announces her conviction just as we all
come to the same conclusion.
Then who is III" asks mother slowly. Yes,
who is 1t. There's the rub
Apparently an immense weight has been
| lifted from Ada's mind by her discovery, for
( regardless Of the dilemma we are In IL she Is
| right, her face beams with satisfaction.
Mothers on the contrary wears q look Of
| troubled anxiety, which think the occasion
| hardly justlfies-an anxiety which seems to
deepen the more she ponders the matter At
last she speaks
"Some one has known OF this" she says
| gravely laying her hand on the telegram.
| Some one has known of Mary's movements.
The woman up stairs is an imposter. / feel
sure of it. She's not woman either, or Pm
very much Mistaken" she goes on excltedly,
not needing the paradox; ''she's mana
| thief In disguised"
Ada and opened our eyes wide In amaze
| ment at such revelations. "What's to be
donei" gasp when can find voice, never
/
bility of mothers conclusions. / have read
| Of such things. l grasp the situation, and
| feel there is no time to be lost. Already the
thief we are harboring may be making the
| most Of his time up stairs upon pair of
much valued Queen Anne candlesticks adorn-
| Ing the bedroom mantleplece.
! glance at the clock. 1t is getting late.
| Something must be done We are all SO help
ess. "We must have some help" l say ener-
getically. 'Jibby and will go for police.
| man."
ooh, my DEAR" exclaims mother In an anx-
ious tone, while Ada says nothing except to
| entreat me In nervous voice to be as quick
as possible.
There is police station three minutes walk
! from our house and Jibby and make short
work of the intervening distance. When we
reach 1t there is light within and compos-
ed looking individual calmly surveys us over
pair of spectacles with an expression Of sur
prise. / relate my story as coherently as /
can for want of breath, Of which the man
makes few jottings IN q provoking delibe-
rate manner, after which he calls some one
from an inner room, retails to him the outline
of my narrative and ia perhaps ten minutes
from the time we entered we start holnewards
escorted by two stalwart members Of the
force.
Almost before we have rung, Ada opens the
door for u.s. Mother Is still nervous aud
harassed, Jack excited at the PROJECT Of an
adventure.
"What would you adviser" asks mother,
addressing the taller of the policemen This
person Is In a bedroom upstairs"
'Some one had better wake her-just in case
you're m staken, ma'am," h. adds, half apollo
getically for appearing to doubt mother.
you had better knock and explain matters,
and see what she has to say for herself" he
goes on, turning to me. You need not be in
the least afraid, we won't be three yards of"
Thus adjured, mount the stairs with beat
ing heart, while the others group themselves
at the bottom. Three times | knock before
receiving an answer, and am just beginning to
think that the robber has been disappointed In
the lucrative prospects of tue house, and made
off without carrying out his evil intentions
The third time, however, some one stirs, and
a deep voice calls out, sleepIly: "Who's
theree Sure it's never eight o'clock"
mo, ~ call back, ''but want to speak to
you. Open the door for minute please"
hear a movement inside as of some one
surfing anu d FOcc pTuHDlliS uisContcutculy'
and then, just as my knees begin to trembe,
the door is opened and our guest appears in
the doorway wearing a rapidly improvised
PRESSING gown in the shape of an ulster her
thick hair straying over her face, which does
not wear its most salubrious expression. At
once | am aware that mother has been wrong
in her calculations, a conviction which natur-
ally docs not tend to the steadiness of either
my voice or ideas.
There has been some mistake" / stam-
mered "You are not our cousin after 81.
You should have been ashamed to have treat
cd us so badly" 60 on severely, as l fancy I
detect symptoms Of guilt in the face before
me-
Law, sakesl' exclaims my companion, ia
ken back at such a sudden attack, rubbing
her eyes and starring aghast at Inc.
'And I'd like to know who set up to be ycur
cousin" with a scornful emphasis on the
possessive pronoun, while an indignant flush
passes over her face. DO tell !" she cries out
wrathfully, her American accent coming out
strongly "And I'd like to know who's been
treated badly If it's not an honest servant
girl, brought here from Amerilly by them as
made her fair promises, and then turned her
adrift when she had served their purposes.
Didn't your mother engage mes and I'd like
to know what she found to complain Of al
ready"
Engage YOU" echo, while l hear a faint
exclamation from the group gathered at the
| foot OF the stairs
Yes engage me,' she reiterates angrily,
land II you don't believe me I'll show you
the letter Mrs Harvey got from her, and see
| If you won't believe your own eyes"
"You don't need to- l respond, a light
breaking in on my mind. ''Who do you say
engaged you!"
| "Your mother" she repeats in an angry
tone, thinking / am triflng with her, "Mrs.
White, and I'll find her letter in second,
| too"
"Then our names not White" I say, land
you've come to the wrong house. We expect
en- our cousin to-day, and when you arrived
| of course we took you for her"
WHO may you be, theni" she inquiries
somewhat staggered, but still defiant
Mrs. White lives on the opposite side of the
street." l say soothingly, not needing the
question, and feeling that, after all, from the
poor womans point of view she has been
rather badly treated.
"You had better go back to bed, and every
| eau NC SCI ISuL III COu-
tinued cheerfully, as my companion bursts in
to an angry fit Of tears. Then she closes the
door unceremonously in my face, and de-
scend the stairs to see the effect Of the extra
ordinary revelations on the minds OF the 9TH
ers. Jack and Ada are titteriug. see by the
twltching of the mems lips that their gravity
has been put to a severe test. Mother alone
looks yexed and annoyed.
Glad that It's nothing more serious than a
mistake, ma'am." says the tall policeman at
last. II think, as we're not needed, we'll say
good night" and then they go, leaving US feel.
ing chagrlned and small, but wthal relieved.
Our indignant guest takes leave of us In the
early morning. and she and her belongings
IRE safely housed with Mrs. White, over the
way, who, 1t seems, had begun to despair Of
her new handmade, and Is unfeignedy GLAD
when she makes her appearance. Poor Mary
Her democratic ideas which she found 80 sat
isfactorily carried out in our house and at oul
table will doubtless receive shock In her new
abode. Neither Is 1t probable that her new
mistress will relegate to her her best spare